'Lost Boys and Fairies TV drama had us in tears'
A same-sex couple who adopted a child five years ago have said the BBC's new drama Lost Boys and Fairies had them both "in tears".
The three-part series, inspired by real experiences and filmed in Wales, follows the story of a gay couple who adopt a son.
It has received widespread acclaim from TV critics and viewers on social media for its frank portrayal of the adoption process from an LGBT perspective.
Mike, 45, said watching each episode had brought back "a lot of memories" for both himself and his partner Tony, 48.
Warning: Article contains spoilers
Mike and Tony, who have been together for 20 years and live in south Wales, adopted their son when he was four years old.
"Watching the series, we were both in tears at certain points, there were certain triggers," said Mike.
"Not just because of the drama that’s there but also because of the memories, and you realise how close it is to home."
Mike said starting a family was something both he and Tony had "always wanted".
"I always wanted to be a dad, Tony always wanted to be a dad.
"As the laws changed to allow more rights for LGBT people to become parents, it became something we wanted to do."
Mike said their experience of the adoption process was positive and their extended families were "100% supportive" throughout.
"We’ve not had any negativity, although I know people do," he added.
The drama's opening episode sees the character Gabriel, played by Sion Daniel Young, tell his father that he and his partner, Andy, plan to adopt.
"I just think a child needs a mother," his father is seen telling him.
"A child doesn't need a mother. A child needs love," Andy responds.
Mike said this particular scene struck a chord with him.
"There’s no reason why anybody shouldn’t consider adopting," he said.
"There should be no stigma attached to it. If somebody can give a child love and a home, then that’s it."
In the UK, prospective adopters can be single, married, in a civil partnership, part of an unmarried couple, or the partner of the child's parent, but they must be over 21.
The process to adopt, which involves an assessment from a social worker and a series of other checks, can take many months.
The series portrays the relationship which develops between Gabriel, Andy and their social worker, Jackie, as their adoption assessment progresses.
Mike said it reminded him of the friendship he and Tony formed with their own adoption social worker.
"We had an amazing social worker called Gayle and watching the TV programme we could see elements of Gayle in there… she put you at ease, she was so friendly and chatty. We still bump into her occasionally walking the dog."
Mike said he was also touched by the milestones portrayed in the series, such as when Gabriel drives his son Jake - played by Leo Harris - home for the first time.
"That first moment of getting in the car and driving him home and going 'yep, this is it now, we’re dads'.
"It’s a range of emotions that just go through you – it’s like a family bringing home a baby after giving birth."
Mike said some of the hardest scenes to witness were the flashbacks to when Jake was first taken into care.
"That hurt," he said.
"Because you only know as much as the social worker. You don’t know what went on behind closed doors."
Mike said he was pleased to see same-sex couples adopting in a TV series.
"You get adoption covered from a heterosexual point of view, I wouldn’t say regularly, but it’s been done," he said.
"But to see it from an LGBT background, I think it’s great, because there may still be that stigma… and it’s nice to prove that yes it is possible because there’s a lot of us that do it.
"Our son doesn’t care that he’s got two dads – he doesn’t see anything negative about it."
All episodes of Lost Boys and Fairies are available on BBC iPlayer. Episode two airs on BBC One on Monday 10 June at 21:00 BST
